Time enough at last: What's next after the House passes bill to do away with Daylight Saving Time? - Fox News
The U.S. House of Representatives has passed the Sunshine Protection Act, which would make Daylight Saving Time permanent. The bill aims to eliminate the biannual clock change, though it faces skepticism regarding its actual impact on daylight perception.
Why it matters
The legislation represents a significant shift in national policy that affects daily life, commerce, and public health, sparking debate over the necessity of the change.
There are 86,410 seconds in a day. 1,440 minutes. The most daylight in Washington, D.C. emerges in June, stretching 14 hours and 57 minutes. The shortest is near the winter solstice, clocking in at a scant nine hours and 29 minutes. Congress can’t change any of that. But it can alter how we perceive it.Lawmakers routinely fork over to public tax cuts, economic stimulus and the elimination of a cumbersome law or policy. Awarding something to the voters is part of the Congressional DNA.So even though time is finite, lawmakers are again trying to give people something: more daylight.The House of Representatives overwhelmingly approved the Sunshine Protection Act this week, 308-117. HOUSE PASSES SUNSHINE PROTECTION ACT TO MAKE DAYLIGHT SAVING TIME PERMANENT No. Our sun wasn’t in jeopardy of going supernova — although it is about halfway through its 10 billion year lifespan. Lawmakers weren’t safeguarding it.
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